Answer to Question #277300 in Physics for OMAR

Question

A futile task is proverbially said to be “like trying to empty the ocean

with a teaspoon.” Just how futile is such a task? Estimate the number of

teaspoonfuls of water in the Earth’s oceans.

I answered this exercise by using Fermi calculations.

First of all, I used an estimation of all amount of water in the Earth which is V = 10²¹L. Secondly, 1 tea-spoon = 5 mL = 5x10^-3L. Next, we will divide 10²¹L/5x10^-3L ,so the number of tea-spoons in all water in the Earth is approximately N = 2 x 10²³. Besides, I answered the question Just how futile is such a task? by calculating the time is taken to empty all the water in the Earth.

I assumed 1 tea-spoon = 5mL to empty = 1s

then,

t = (2 x 10²³)(1s) = 2 x 10²³s = 6 x 10¹³ centuries

This time is impossible to be spent by human or a machine.

I think that my answer is right, but I only want to check because I used the same strategy that I showed in the exercise above in all Fermi Exercises and Calculations in my book.

Answer 1

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